Piano Man
by Aingeal-J
Summary: The body of a famous musician is found inside a piano. Finaly Finished!
1. Default Chapter

Piano Man Chapter 1: The thrill of the stage  
  
A/N: I wrote this one AGES ago, I just never posted it.until now!! Enjoy.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Eames & Goren  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*17-8- 2003 11:47pm New York City Theatre  
  
The adrenaline of his performance still ran through Luc Kilburn's veins. The thrill of the stage, the sound of the piano and the applauding crowd was his natural high. He had performed many times all over the world, but no matter how many times he did he still felt as if he was the happiest man alive. He had worked for so long to get to where he was - a world renowned pianist with thousands of followers; equal to Elton John or Billy Joel. A native of France, he spoke 5 different languages. He was only 25, and had been playing since he was 3. He had his first concert in Paris at 17, and was on his first world tour at 19. He felt he deserved everything he was given. He had a gift and he wanted to share it with the world.  
  
Luc's white grand piano was still on the stage hours after his piano concert and the lights of the stage had dimmed. He was alone with his thoughts and the black and white keys. He sat down and tenderly stroked the keys. He gently lifted his hands and struck the keys. A melody echoed through the theatre - Moonlight Sonata - one of his favourites. He could feel sparks through his fingers as he played louder, then softer. His eyes started to well up in tears as his emotions took over. It was a mix of pride and joy of the sound of the piano.  
  
Suddenly he heard footsteps. He dismissed them as the lighting director's and kept playing. They sounded like they were getting closer and closer, until Luc stopped and turned around. There, was Yannis Olger, his accompanist. He played duets with Luc, but had always wanted more. Yannis was German and in his teens had gone to the same music school as Luc in Paris, and they had been best friends, until the day a talent scout came to the school. He was out looking for the best of the best, and he chose Luc. Yannis knew it should have been him, but Luc had to take over. The scout chose Luc to be his lead pianist, and Yannis was just a backup.  
  
"Yannis. You scared me," Luc said, going back to his playing.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Luc. You did very well tonight. Once again, a brilliant performance" Yannis complimented, only half-heartedly.  
  
"I try," Luc replied modestly. Yannis pulled Luc up and put his arm around his shoulder.  
  
"You know, it would be such a shame if a talent like yours was wasted," Yannis said, shaking his head. Luc looked confused.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Oh, just to say if you were to have an accident," Yannis said and pushed Luc over. He held his head on the side of the piano and slammed the top down. He did it a few times, until Luc stopped moving. Blood stained the white piano and the floor. Yannis shoved the body into the piano and closed the lid. He wiped up the blood and slipped silently out. Now he was the star of the show. 


	2. Meet Mr Olger

Piano Man Chapter 2: Meet Mr. Olger  
  
A/N: Hey out there! Sorry it's been awhile! I dunno if anyone really cares if its been awhile, but here it is anyway. Please R&R!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 18-8-2003 10:25 am New York City Theatre  
  
Detective Goren snapped on latex glove and opened the grand piano's lid as Eames winced at the site of the bloodied body.  
  
"Head damage," he observed, and then paused. "Scratched on the side of the piano there. Wedged his head in and slammed the lid shut would be my guess." Goren ran his fingers over the marks. There were dents filled with blood.  
  
"Poor guy," Eames sympathised. She picked up his hand and studied it. "He even has a musician's hand. Looks like he's never done a hard days work," she said putting it back down. Goren went to the opposite side of the piano.  
  
"That's not true. I've heard touring can be pretty tough," he said. Eames rolled her eyes.  
  
"No I mean as in.never mind. Any signs of a struggle?" she asked. Goren looked on the floor. More blood and a soaked piece of material. Goren retrieved it and held it to the victim's clothes. It was a different pattern.  
  
"Must have torn it of the purp," Eames said inspecting it. Goren bagged it and walked around the entire piano. He didn't want to miss one detail. He sat on the stool and looked at the keys. He imagined himself as Luc. Eames stood by and tried to picture it.  
  
"He must have been sitting here already. The purp wouldn't have dragged him out here to murder him. There are far too many objects to do it with in the wings," Goren said, looking behind the curtains. He saw all the ropes and metal poles. Eames walked over and sat down beside him. They sat in silence for a while; neither of them could come up with anything. They heard a man yelling behind them.  
  
"Whah the? Oh my god! What happened?" the man staggered onto the stage, grief stricken. The detectives looked at each other. He looked angrily at them. "What the hell happened here?" he demanded.  
  
"Luc was murdered last night," Eames said.  
  
"Do you know anything?" Goren asked. The man wiped his eyes and shook his head.  
  
"He was my friend. We toured together," he stammered between sobs.  
  
"And you are-?" Goren asked.  
  
"Yannis Olger. I duet with Luc. We have 5 shows until we back to Paris," he said, shaking his head. "His mother will be devastated." Tristan, his manager, came out and took Yannis back to the dressing rooms, then returned.  
  
"I am Tristan, their manager. We've been based in London for awhile. Luc was good pianist. He was from France and Yannis from Germany."  
  
"Do you know what happened?" Goren asked Tristan. He shook his head.  
  
"Maybe one of the crew knows. I think most of them only speak French. I am a tad rusty on mine."   
  
"Est-ce que quelqu'un a vu ou a entendu ce qui s'est produit?" Eames yelled to his crew. Everybody shook their heads.  
  
"Nobody saw anything," Eames said to Goren, who had an expression of amazement. "Thanks for your time Tristan," she said, ending the questions. They walked off the stage and out to the car park.  
  
"I didn't know you could speak French," Goren said. She was just full off surprises. She shrugged as she unlocked the car.  
  
"I did french in high school. One of my many hidden talents," she said smiling. "So we'll take that material to the lab and have it checked," she clarified what they were going to do when they got back to the office.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"This piece of material is finely woven wool, best money can buy. I'd say whoever did it was pretty well off," the forensic expert started. "Other than that, there isn't much I can tell you."  
  
"Do we have an autopsy report yet?" Eames asked. The expert nodded.  
  
"I received it an hour ago. Serious head injuries, shattered skull and broken foot. Other than that, he was in good health," she said handing over her report and the autopsy report to Eames. The two detectives went back to their desk and looked through the papers.  
  
"Luc Kilburn. 25 years old. His father was Claude Kilburn. Music must run in the family," Eames said as she read his profile.  
  
"So he was murdered, stashed in his piano, and only a little piece of wool was found. This doesn't help," Goren said analysing the situation in which they found themselves.  
  
"There has to be a reason. We should talk to Yannis more." 


	3. Musical Talent

Piano Man Chapter 3: Musical Talent  
  
A/N: Sorry I haven't uploaded lately.I dunno if anyone cares.but anyway!! My modem stuffed up and I couldn't go on here 4 AGES!! For all non-musical people, 8ve is an Octave. It is basically 8 notes. Like C-to-C, or D to D. 8 notes above C is C again, or an octave. Kinda hard to explain, but I think you'll get it ;-)  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Goren or Eames.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Luc was a good pianist," Yannis started.  
  
"How long have you known him?" Eames asked. She and Yannis were sitting at a polished black table while Goren looked around the room. It was nicely decorated with many photos and certificates.  
  
"We went to the same high school. Since we were in our teens. We were both picked for a big music school in Paris," he said. "Then a man came looking for great talent, and Luc was the best and I his second man."  
  
"These are some great achievements. Passed all your exams with flying colours, competition awards, tours of Germany. Why didn't he pick you?" Goren asked. Yannis shrugged. It did piss him off.  
  
"Because Luc's father was the great and almighty Claude Kilburn. Luc started playing very young, sort of a child prodigy. First big concert when he was 17. I was 20."  
  
"That isn't a very big age difference," Eames said.  
  
"Well it is in the music industry. They thrive on young new talent. Luc was younger but he had the same experience as me, so he was more important. I'd put in all the same hard work, and he did and he got chosen because of his age." Yannis took a breath to calm himself. It made him angry. His father left him and his mother at a young age and they struggled to put food on the table. It was a wonder his mother could afford to put him through lessons. Somehow, though, they managed, and look where he ended up. His mother always wanted Yannis to be the best he could be, and he ended up a second man. SECOND! That wasn't good enough.  
  
"One last thing," Goren piped up breaking Yannis' thoughts. "All these pictures have one thing in common. Your right eye is shut. How come?"  
  
"It is light sensitive," he answered. Goren nodded in understanding. "Now if you both don't mind I have to get to the dry-cleaners," he said picking up the suit bag.  
  
"We can take it if you like. We're going that way and I have a suit to pick up. It's no trouble at all," Goren offered. Yannis thought about it, and then timidly gave him the bag. Goren scooped it up and they left.  
  
"Since when are we going to the dry cleaners?" Eames asked as they got into the car.  
  
"Since I want to check the suit for evidence," Goren said matter-of-factly.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Goren laid the suit out on his desk and compared it to the piece of cloth they found at the scene.  
  
"It's the same. I think he did it," Eames concluded. Goren shrugged.  
  
"It still could have been someone else. Maybe his manager or something," he said.  
  
"Why would his manager want to kill him? He'd lose all that money," Eames objected to his idea. It didn't make sense. Goren thought for a minute.  
  
"So for arguments sake, lets say Yannis did it. Why would he?" Goren said. They thought for a minute, then he piped up with an answer. "He wants to be the main man. He wants to be in the spotlight for once." He paced around, his mind conjuring up the theory.  
  
"It works. We just need evidence. Do we have any evidence besides the scrap of material?" Eames asked. Goren sat down, head resting on his hand and staring at the piece of clothing. It had to hold a clue. He stared until it made his eyes hurt. Suddenly he saw something interesting. He picked up the coat and put it on Eames.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing?" she said.  
  
"Just hold on a minute. Now see here on the right side of the coat. He has light sensitivity in his right eye, so he shields his eye with his right hand, and as he brings it up it catches on something and it rips," he said, acting it out. Eames nodded.  
  
"I think that is enough for an arrest."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The detectives made their way to the theatre where Yannis was practising. He was sitting at a black piano playing Beethoven's Fifth. He looked like he was enjoying himself. His hands moved across the piano quickly and a look of concentration was on his strong facial features.  
  
"Yannis Olger you're under arrest for murder," Eames said as she approached him and cuffed his hands.  
  
"What? This is an outrage! How can you do this to me?" he yelled as the men in blue came to take him. Goren sat at the piano. He had been fascinated by the instrument and remembered learning a bit a school. He pressed 'Middle C', then 'D', 'E', 'F', 'G', 'A', 'B', and then '8ve C'. He smiled to himself.  
  
"Do you play?" Eames asked as she walked up behind him.  
  
"Used to. In school. You?"  
  
"I had lessons until I left primary school," she said as she sat to his left. "My teacher used to make me practise my pieces until I knew them off by heart. I guess that put me off learning after I left," she said as she stood up and walked away. He sat for a moment more, and then followed her.  
  
"Were you good at it?" he asked. She shrugged.  
  
"Not bad I guess. I never really tried I guess," she told him. She always wondered what would have happened if she had still kept playing. Would she have been a singer? Would she still have been a cop? She didn't care. She was happy where she was now.  
  
"I always imagined I was going to be a great musical man. Like Mozart or something," Goren said remembering those hours of listening to the composer's work. Eames looked at him and smiled.  
  
"Well don't worry, you turned out just fine - even if you aren't a musical genius," she said. He smiled back.  
  
"Thanks. Now, lets go kick some suspect booty." 


	4. You Got Us Feelin' Alright

Piano Man Chapter 4: You got us feelin' alright  
  
A/N: Final chapter  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*  
  
Yannis Olger sat in the interrogation room outraged that he, a great pianist, was being held responsible for murder.  
  
"So what evidence do you have against me?" he demanded.  
  
"So touchy. Well we have one torn jacket, that you wore," Goren said, laying down the jacket. Yannis shrugged.  
  
"So? What is the point?"  
  
"We found the torn part in a pool of Luc's blood," Goren said.  
  
"Now how it got there we don't know - unless you were there when he was murdered," Eames finished his sentence. It was good the way they complimented each other, and could finish sentences. It usually freaked the suspect out.  
  
"Well I don't know what you are talking about. I couldn't have done it," he argued. Goren sighed. He knew this guy was tough. Then he had an idea. He shone the light into his right eye, and just as he had predicted to Eames earlier, Yannis shielded his eyes with his right hand.  
  
"What are you doing?" Yannis exclaimed.  
  
"Proving a point. Do you see the rip on the sleeve right there? On the right cuff?" Goren pointed out. Yannis nodded. "You just shielded your eye with your right hand. So what, when the stage light shone into your eye you lifted it up and Luc tore it off? Or did it catch on something? Maybe when you were dumping the body inside the piano it got caught on a string and it fell through onto the floor. You tell me," Goren said, glaring at him with his strong, dark eyes.  
  
"I couldn't tell you. I wouldn't know. I ripped that jacked when I got it caught when I was moving the piano," he said.  
  
"You have roadies to do that for you. Anyway, the piece of cloth matches your coat, which proves you had to be there," Eames said. It was now her turn to play.  
  
"Maybe someone stole my jacket."  
  
"No, I don't think so. The label says custom made. For you. I guess you need the arm room. Just tell us what happened and we'll be nice," she said.  
  
"You hated him, didn't you? He was so young and talented. You weren't much older though. Why not you? You were more experienced," Goren interrogated.  
  
"It isn't true. I was proud of him."  
  
"Greed. You wanted to be in the spotlight, and you knew Luc wouldn't leave. And there was no way he was going to get kicked out." Goren was just getting warmed up. Yannis had to snap sooner or later.  
  
"Not true. I never wanted to be first man." Yannis was getting hot as anger boiled up inside him.  
  
"If only you could get rid of him. If only there was a way," Goren continued. He saw he was just about to burst.  
  
"It was perfect! Nobody saw, or suspected a thing. I deserved that place more than he did. I worked harder to get there and - "  
  
"Now you've blown it all away. Good luck in the jail talent contest. I'm sure you'll do just fine," Goren said as Yannis was taken away. He yelled and kicked, but it did no use. The detectives smiled at each other.  
  
"Another case well solved," Eames said.  
  
"And to you. As much as I'd love to stay and chat I have a date," Goren said as they walked back to their desks and packed up their things. Eames looked surprised and suspicious.  
  
"Ooh really? Who is it?" she asked.  
  
"Secret. I'll see ya tomorrow," he said as he bounced to the elevator. She stood dumbfounded at the thought of her partner having a date. It rarely happened, and it seemed like a shock. She shook herself out of the trance she seemed to be in and walked to her car. It wasn't like she cared anyway.was it?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
She felt like going out tonight. She had a beautiful knee-length purple dress with a black lace overdress, and she looked good. With diamond drop earrings and choker, she looked damn fine. With her make-up and dazzling smile, she was drop dead gorgeous. She grabbed her bag and walked out the door. The case had left a mark on her, something she couldn't put her finger on. She walked past a classy restaurant lit with candles and saw a shiny black piano with a woman in a blue dress playing. Perfect. She walked in and to her surprise saw Goren sitting at a table right next to the platform where the piano was. He looked lonely, so she walked to him.  
  
"I thought you had a date?" she said. He looked up at her. Was that his partner? She didn't look like the usual Eames. He sighed.  
  
"She stood me up," he said sadly.  
  
"Who would do that to a nice guy like you?" she said trying to cheer him up.  
  
"I don't know. Do you have a date you weren't telling me about?" he said looing her up and down once again.  
  
"No. I just wanted to get out," she said smiling.  
  
"Well 'ya do now. Sit down Alex," he invited her. She smiled even more, and sat in the vacant chair.  
  
"Ever since that case I just felt like I had to come and listen like I used to," Goren said as he intently listened to the flowing music.  
  
"Me too. So I take it you haven't eaten then?" Eames asked. Goren shook his head.  
  
"No. Shall we order something?" he asked. She nodded and picked up a menu.  
  
"I think the - "  
  
"Caesar Chicken Pasta sounds good," Goren jumped in. Eames looked at him and smiled.  
  
"That's what I was going to say," she said. He smiled. It was good the way they complimented each other, and could finish each other's sentences. 


End file.
